This is the first article of two on improving your interview skills to maximise your chance of success, and getting that job! This article is targeted at what you can do even before you walk into the interview to improve your skills.
So, you have had a phone call from the employer and the good news is that you have got to the interview stage! Or is it really good news? Does the thought of the interview fill you with dread? Do you stumble your way through interviews? Does the link between your brain and mouth break down under the pressure of the interview situation? Don't worry; it doesn't have to be that way! You can improve your interview techniques and, believe it or not turn interviews into an enjoyable experience.
Or, are you one of those people who are already comfortable and confident during interviews, but you seem to keep missing out? This article is to help anyone brush up on and improve their interview skills and techniques even before they set foot in the interview.
By following the below you could improve your performance in interviews.
Let's start with some basic concepts on interviews.
The role of the employer is to find the best person for the position.
It is not a test, but more a discussion between you and the employer.
Note I use the word discussion.
From my experience the candidates that perform best at interviews recognise this fact and treat the interview as a discussion, not a test.
Below are some key recommendations, thoughts and suggestions that will improve your interview performance before the questions even start.
My next article will deal specifically on hints and tips when responding to the interview questions.

• Research - Find out as much as you can about the employer prior to the interview.
  Visit their website, read any company publications.
  There are two reasons for this.
  Firstly, so that you are prepared for the "What challenges do you think our company faces over the next 12 months", or something similar, and secondly, at the end of the interview you do not ask any questions where the answers are obvious to anyone who has done their research.
  

• Practice - Practice, practice, practice.
  Get some interview questions and try and simulate the interview situation, ideally with someone else, preferably your manager or a mentor/coach.
  If you are not comfortable with this, that is a good thing! We all need to get out of our comfort zone if we want to develop, otherwise, ask if a family member will help.
  Alternatively you could record yourself giving answers on a camcorder and play them back to yourself.
  Failing that you can always stand in front of the bathroom mirror and watch yourself giving answers to the interview questions.
  

• Memorise - your cover letter/resume/selection criteria.
  Know your Resume/cover letter/Selection Criteria as best you can.
  You can demonstrate this to the employer in response to a question, opening with words to the effect of...
  'As stated in my cover letter/selection criteria...
  " and then lead into your example.
  This shows that you take the position seriously and have invested the time to prepare for the interview.
  

• Your attitude - your attitude determines your thoughts, which in turn influences your responses and actions.
  You can train yourself to choose what you spend your time thinking about! Consider, if you constantly think you are going to interview poorly then guess what? Chances are that will happen.
  I call this 'stinking thinking' - you are setting yourself up for a failure.
  Instead focus on all the good you can offer to the employer, and as soon as those negative thoughts start creeping in you need to deal with them effectively - put those thoughts in the recycle bin!

• Your appearance - This links to attitude.
  If you are presented poorly and you feel that you are, this will have a negative impact on your attitude and hence your interview performance.
  Your appearance is critical; your appearance is how the employer initially perceives you as, it is all they have to go on when you walk through the door.
  

• You must remember you are in there 'selling yourself', while the employer is thinking, 'am I going to hire this candidate?' The key to sales is getting the prospective purchaser to tick their 'yes' box as often as possible.
  Essentially that is what you need to do during the interview.
  The employer is deciding whether they want to 'buy' your services, or someone else's! So, in every aspect of your interview performance to maximise your chance of success you want the employer to be mentally ticking their 'yes' box at every opportunity.
  

• Gadget free zone - Turn off your mobile/cell phone! Or better still; don't take it into the interview at all.
  You are there to sell yourself, so minimise the distractions.
  Have you ever been halfway through an interview with your mobile/cell phone in your pocket or bag, and that thought comes out of nowhere...
  'Did I turn it off?" Now you are more focused on your mobile rather than the question that was just asked of you!

For interview preparation I believe the above will give you the best chance to set yourself apart from the competition.
The second part of Interview skills deals with fielding the questions, giving the interviewer the answer they are looking for and tips on how not to crumble when you get the question that you have no answer to.
All the best.